Red Granite Early Childhood consists of Prekindergarten and Kindergarten.

We believe that Early Childhood is a special time and deserves respect, guidance, nurturing, and time. Meaningful work and creative play in a structured environment make up the curriculum during Early Childhood. It is important for us to have these students develop their social skills, which will support their academic learning that becomes more structured in first grade.

Our sister school, the Tomorrow River Community Charter Schools, describes Early Childhood as:

The goal of prekindergarten and kindergarten is to integrate young children into their individual physical bodies, the social body of the classroom, and life as a whole. Thus, the children’s education takes place primarily through active participation in the “Living Arts.” These include:

Benefiting from the nurturing arts, such as well-structured and consistent daily, weekly, and yearly routines, healthy nourishment, daily rests, and clearly-held boundaries

Imitating and partaking in meaningful, purposeful, practical work, such as cooking, woodworking, cleaning, and gardening

Exploring the creative arts, such as imaginative play, watercolor painting, puppetry, handwork, and storytelling

Developing social/ relational skills– learning to share with, wait for, ask, thank, help, and work with others in a mixed-age environment

Experiencing daily, extended time in nature, the seasonal cycles, the earth, and the elements first-hand.

In our classrooms, a multi-sensory, experiential foundation is laid for the abstract learning to come in grade school and beyond. Keys to our approach for children ages 4-6:

Young children have a natural awe and reverence for the world and the adults who care for and teach them; thus, children readily imitate what they experience in their environment. Consequently, the teacher embodies and demonstrates the behaviors, knowledge, attitudes, and habits for the children to learn and acquire through imitation.

Young children develop a sense of security and confidence in the world that leads to clear thinking and emotional stability later through consistent relationships with their primary adult caregivers and teachers and through rhythm in their daily, weekly, and yearly lives.

Young children’s bodies are in an intense process of forming inner organs, growing bones and brain tissue, and developing physical gross and fine motor coordination, which should be honored and actively supported. Consequently, young children will ideally be purposefully given a significant amount of time for free play that encourages a variety of physical activities, imitative make-believe play-acting, and imaginative and social problem-solving.

Young children do not have the filters adults do with regard to their sensory experiences; they are like sponges absorbing everything in their environment. Consequently, the classroom environment is rich with healthy sensory experiences incorporating natural materials, texture, warmth, and the fragrances of cooking and baking. In addition, outdoor time in nature immerses children in the sights, sounds, colors, smells, and tactile experiences of the ever-changing seasons.

Unlike the grades, the kindergarten does not teach the main lesson subjects. There are 3-6 week seasonally-oriented themes that infuse the content of each day, but literacy and language arts, mathematics, science, social skills, social studies, music, and the arts are integrated into each theme.

The Elementary Grades build on the foundation set in Early Childhood. This is a time to begin digging into academics through hands-on integrated learning.

The Curriculum of our Elementary Grades as described by our sister school the Tomorrow River Community Charter Schools:

FIRST GRADE:

Math: Qualities of numbers, introduction to the four operations of arithmetic, geometric forms, whole number processes, counting rhythm and times tables 1 through 6 and 10

Literature and Grammar: Pictorial and phonetic introduction to the alphabet, word recognition, writing, poetry recitation, and fairy and folk tales from around the world

Science: Nature stories, nature walks, observations, gardening, local environment, seasons, and visits to local farms and an indoor greenhouse

Performing Arts and Music: Recorder (which develops finger coordination and concentration), singing songs, poetry memorization, in-class drama and marionette performances

Art: Watercolor (which has an emphasis on working with color rather than creating formed pictures), beeswax modeling, and crayon illustrations

Handwork: Knitting (which promotes hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, arithmetic skills, sequencing, patience, perseverance, and self-esteem), seasonal crafts

World Language: Introduced through plays, songs, rhythms, poems and games

History and Social Studies: Fairy and folk tales, rhymes, poems and songs

Geography: Spatial orientation and body geography

Movement: Circle games, yoga, eurhythmy and outside play

SECOND GRADE:

Math: Continue with four operations of arithmetic, story problems, number patterns, times tables 7 through 12, two-digit multiplication, carrying and borrowing, written calculations

Literature and Grammar: Reading and writing, phonetics, elements of grammar, spelling, punctuation, animal fables, myths and legends of heroic people from around the world

Science: Nature stories, nature walks, observations, gardening, local environment, seasons, visits to local farms and an indoor greenhouse, and animals

Performing Arts and Music: Recorder, singing songs, poetry memorization, in-class drama and marionette performances

Art: Form drawing, watercolor painting, beeswax modeling, crayon drawings

World Language: Continuation of 1st grade, adding vocabulary, counting, animals, and colors

Handwork: Knitting patterns with multiple stitches, crocheting and seasonal crafts

History and Social Studies: Fairy and folk tales, legends, poems, songs and stories of heroic people

Geography: Natural studies

Movement: Rhythmic games, line games, yoga, eurhythmy and outside play

Third Grade

Math: Memorization of multiplication tables 1 through 12 continued and strengthened, weight, measure, length, volume, money, time, continued two and three digit multiplication and long division

Literature and Grammar: Elements of grammar (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs), spelling, compositions, stories from ancient history and continued reading

Science: Gardening, soil, nature studies, animal husbandry, conservation, cooking, house building and visits to local farms and an indoor greenhouse

Performing Arts and Music: Recorder, singing in rounds, in-class skits, the performance of an annual class play, and music notation

Art: Continue form drawing, painting, beeswax modeling, crayon and pencil drawing

World Language: Integration into the core curriculum in songs, plays, poetry, conversations and vocabulary

Handwork: Crocheting patterns, hand sewing, and seasonal crafts

History and Social Studies: Study of practical life to include house building, clothing, and cooking around the world

Geography: History of farming and house building around the world

Movement: Traditional games, dancing, yoga, eurhythmy and outside play

FOURTH GRADE:

Math: Continuation of long division, fractions, averages, factoring

Literature and Grammar: Elements of grammar, spelling and punctuation, book reports, creative writing, composition, Norse and Finnish mythology, Indian Legends and local history

Science: Zoology, animals in their environment, continuation of gardening and nature studies

Performing Arts and Music: Singing and recorder in rounds, possible addition of violin/cello, music theory, choir, reading music notation

Art: Advanced form drawing, painting, and clay modeling

World Language: Continued songs, plays, poetry, conversations, cultural activities, vocabulary, beginning writing and reading

Handwork: Cross-stitch, embroidery, knotting and braiding

History and Social Studies: Local Wisconsin History

Geography: Local Wisconsin geography and map-making

Movement: Yoga, folk dancing, and relay races

Our sister school the Tomorrow River Community Charter Schools, describe their Public Waldorf-inspired curriculum as:

The emphasis on academics intensifies in middle school. Students of this age are starting to see themselves integrating into their greater world, with studies supporting their curiosity for it and allowing them to contemplate their place within it. Unlike the earlier grades, 5th grade is when Waldorf embraces technology. Students will learn about various world cultures and how those who lived before them paved their tomorrow with scientific discoveries, world exploration, and the development of various cultures. This main theme resonates with the middle schoolers as they begin to contemplate their own tomorrow and how they will impact the future.

A supportive staff and parent community is essential to helping these young teens feel a sense of belonging and acceptance. Smaller class sizes and consistency in their classroom teacher throughout their time provide a strong sense of community, nurturing them through this time that is often awkward and confusing. Electives with a focus on the arts offer a creative outlet for self-expression, while sports provide the opportunity to challenge their changing bodies. Handwork activities focus on practical skills like woodworking and making clothing, which help to develop the confidence they will need to face what lies before them. Understanding the yearning for social impact, students will engage in meaningful service projects that introduce them to the people and needs of their local community while developing a deep commitment to environmental stewardship.

The goal of Public Waldorf-inspired middle school is to provide a nurturing educational experience that builds an adaptable foundation of knowledge, skills, and compassion so they are ready to negotiate the swiftly changing world before them. So, no matter what high school their journey takes them to next, they feel prepared and confident to move forward.

Before graduating in 8th grade, students will embark on a final journey together that serves as an opportunity for personal growth and bonding with classmates, as well as a time for reflecting on their time.